This book is about the teaching of English to migrants and refugees. It is written from the perspective of those who work with and teach this diverse group of adults and children. Migrants and refugees come from very different geographical areas and have left their home countries for very different reasons.

They may have come to the UK to join a spouse, to seek job opportunities or to flee violence and persecution. They will have had very different experiences of education: some will have had no formal schooling and others will have studied to a high level and hold relevant academic and professional qualifications. Some will join settled communities, while others will be living in isolation.

Immigration in the United Kingdom is a central policy area, whereas education is devolved to the four nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). In this book we are concerned with English language teaching in a country in which English is the dominant language of a substantial, often monolingual, majority and learners need English to communicate in their daily life.